Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a little tricky this year for multiple reasons. We were moving out of our house and had already moved a lot into storage... plus the added complication of COVID. However we had an amazing Thanksgiving, with many blessings!! Sariah was able to find a ride home (and even ended up getting a ride with the same person as her second cousin... which was fun.) It was wonderful to have her home (plus she had already had COVID and wasn’t a risk.) Sariah was so awesome to have around, with her problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking, when we realized we had already packed some of the things we needed. She created a cookie cutter with thin cardboard and a hair thing. It worked perfectly! Tia and Nina made some very beautiful pies! I was so impressed!! Riana’s friend/roommate Lila and family were so sweet to take her in for the holiday. We were so grateful! Riana wasn’t able to travel with her back and everything. She had a really great time with their family. Aurora and Calyssa made the pistachio pudding with Grant and helped me with the rolls! (I love making and eating homemade crescent rolls! LOL!) So fun! Grant smoked a very delicious turkey! Another huge blessing was that our neighbor had the exact Kitchenaid attachments that I needed, when I realized I had already packed ours. Time with extended family was just what the doctor ordered!! The dinner and especially all the desserts/pies were super yummy!! Another couple of highlights of the day were a baby blessing and playing football in the backyard!! I loved it so much! It was a really great day!!

 

End of Fall Soccer 2020

We appreciated Fall soccer more than ever before! It was truly a lifesaver for all of us to have something a little normal in our lives!! We did wear masks on the sidelines and try to social distance on the sidelines and the teams were only 7 girls to a side... but the girls were able to see friends, get exercise, get out of the house, and play a game that they love!! It truly raised our spirits! Tia and Nina’s team was put in a very tough division with the varsity teams that couldn’t play school ball and they lost every game... however every single player improved by a lot!!!! Aurora’s team was right in the middle- winning a few, a few ties, and losing a few... their challenge was how large their team was, more frequent subbing then anyone would like. Grant coached both teams, with help from his former superstar striker, Olivia. They were both great coaches!!

Calyssa also has amazing coaches, Tara and Brian! And her team went undefeated!! She had a great time, until she broke her arm in practice... but the last two games were canceled anyway due to rising COVID numbers... so she really didn’t miss out on much.

Aurora, Kiera, Riley, Peyton, Emersyn, Adrienne, Anna, Joslyn, Malea, Madi, Aurora, Lilly, Valerie, and just missing red headed Anna (and a couple of girls that were unable to be on our team because we ran out of space)

Lindsey, Izzy, Clara, Alex, Tia, Laurel, Yanna, Megan, Nina, Alayna, and missing Sam

Top- Kyra, Zoe, Ava, Caly, Cal/Kya, Bottom- Ella, Greta, Abbey, Ily, Mady, Emma

 

Back to Blogging- October 2020 Random Pictures

After a huge lapse in blogging, I’m back. I’ve decided to do more of my journaling here again instead of social media.

Calyssa had another great season on the Fireball Foxes!

Celebrating birthdays with some of our best friends 

Our silly and sweet dog... and Aurora being digitally creative with a wall hanging that’s up in our house, while it’s staged to sell.

I love the fall!! It is so happy and colorful!

Pictures of Sariah playing intramural soccer at college (yes, they are required to wear masks while playing, which is crazy)... and celebrating the end of the season and goals- 2 by Aurora and 1 by Calyssa (she was so excited!!) Tia and Nina were put in the division with all the Varsity teams who couldn’t play school ball. It was a rough season but their team fought to the end of every game! They are incredible girls! 

Fun with food- pancakes on Halloween and making cookies at a friend’s house

Apple cider, smoked salmon, drawing “Among Us” characters, drawing on blankets, a date to the movies before they closed down again for 6+ months, the girls painted jars at youth group and this was Aurora’s, Grant and a friend went out riding, and we had a strange encounter with a helicopter hovering above us

Elder Ross and Elder Johnson, who were so fondly called “Dwayne: the Ross Johnson” when they were companions, came to visit separately about a month apart, Johnson before he went home and Ross after.

The older and younger Crushers teams scrimmaged each other. It was so fun to watch!

A fun night with friends- Escape Room and Karaoke 

November 2014

--Dance Festival Kickoff
--Grant's hike with friends (Jared and his son Gavin and maybe others too... I can't remember.)

--The beautiful fall leaves/trees= LOVE!!

--Look at these adorable tiny sour gummy worms!
--These silly girls having a party on my countertop... LOL!


--This poor girl has a very demanding schedule-- wake up at 4 am, early morning seminary 6 am, school 7 am-2 pm, soccer practice or game 2 pm-5 pm (but sometimes as late as 10 pm with away games) and homework... bedtime 9-12 pm... and it all starts again the next day.  She takes naps whenever she can... or whenever she falls asleep... sometimes during homework.


--I wanted an Otter Box, which is very protective, for my brand new Iphone, but I also wanted a cute case.  My girls helped me find this cute Otter Box... It's perfect!!
--I loved these pants and dress of Calyssa... she wore them a ton... just giving away her little clothes that don't fit anymore.  :(
--So colorful... folding socks... yes, I never do that!!  Maybe my life is finally getting out of survival mode... a good feeling!



--Sushi lunch date with my man!


--Lattins Apple Cider= LOVE!!!  I seriously can't get enough of this stuff!!  It is like drinking an apple!
--Much too pretty for pajamas!!  :)
--Helping Riana pick out her outfits for school-- each night, she asks me to come into her room and help her pick out her clothes... while I'm in there, we talk all about her day.  I love listening to her stories... just like my Mom did for me!  :)
--Someone's random picture-- wanted to remember what our homeschooling corner looks like

--Little cutie!!
--Twirling!!

--Another random place for Riana to fall asleep... on me... I loved it!!  She hasn't fallen asleep on me in years.  :)
--Selfies with my little goofball... I sure love her!

--Hunting Rachel down to give her balloons and candy for her birthday

--I love these cute owl pajamas, on my baby!!

--My fav coat and my favorite hat-- and playing with my phone's editing

Double date to Hop Jacks with Jen and Jason

--Straight hair selfie
--Reading stories with sisters (this book, "When Lucy Goes Out Walking" reminds the girls of the dog we dogsit for-- Luna, who is a black and white collie too.)
--Making breakfast... silly girls
--Selfie

--Callie with the necklace that Hailey made her
--Rori and Callie fixed my hair
--Caleb, Brooke, Logan, Aimee, Hailey's cousin Coleman sang in General Conference in the missionary choir... the girls were excited to see him 

--Aurora and Calyssa in matching outfits at school
--Sariah and Tierra hanging out, reading a magazine... I love seeing my girls hang out with a different sister than their usual pair.  It is special to see them bonding.

--An Aurora Apple
--I can't believe Calyssa held still enough for someone to French braid her hair.  Amazing for a 3 year old!
--Our flag and the moon

--Selfies

--Riana and Sariah and a few of their silly friends 

--Calyssa helping out, washing the counter
--Tierra and Sariah playing foosball a new way, by blowing the ball... LOL!

--"Little Shop of Horrors" and Dairy Queen
--A thank you gift from Hannah and Jared for taking pictures of their family



--Youth Committee preparing for Christmas Formal

--Tierrra and I and Karina and I
--Our yummy dinner... trying new things!!  It was seriously so delicious!

--Logan's birthday present from us-- A real shower cap (because of the shower cap from Trek) and 7 gummy pizza's (because I beat him at a pizza eating contest after his brother's wedding... he ate 7 pieces and I ate 9.)
-Some cool leaves the girls took a picture of

--A pano of our master bathroom... it is never this clean... LOL!
--Hot lunch at school-- the special Thanksgiving lunch
--Our VT gift, we gave our sisters this month.

--Uncle Tommy's birthday-- Grandma made him a cake that said "Tom" on it, and the nieces and nephews all made him cards
--Tommy and Joe's mission countdowns




--Cool clouds after the first snow, at my parents' house

--Making candy turkeys with cousins, Stratton and Harrison
--Silly Daddy and Callie

Callie took like 100 selfies with my phone... she even changed the settings to black and white and did several different faces... LOL!!!  Silly girl!  I wonder where she gets it!!  LOL!!